[Allergy in women].

Allergy affects without distinction both sexes. Nevertheless some allergens are responsible more frequently for contact dermatitis in females. The components of cosmetics and in first fragrance are indeed responsible for numerous contact dermatitis because of their increasing use.

[Vibratory angioedema].

Background: Vibratory angioedema is a rare form of physical urticaria. This entity can be an hereditary autosomal dominant disorder or an acquired sporadic disease. Immediate and delayed forms have been reported.

Retention of airborne latex particles by a bacterial and viral filter used in anaesthesia apparatus.

We have developed a series of laboratory tests to evaluate the efficiency of a heat and moisture exchanger filter (Pall BB25) in retaining latex particles in order to protect allergic patients during anaesthesia. Latex particles were nebulised with cornstarch as a support and collected for assay in a flask, with or without the filter integrated into the experimental circuit. With the Pall BB25 filter in the circuit, no natural latex proteins were detected by measurement of either total protein or antigenic latex proteins.

[[Anaphylactic reactions to aprotinin: intradermal diagnostic tests] ].

A 66-year-old patient, undergoing heart surgery, developed an anaphylactic reaction following the first administration of a test-dose of aprotinin. Skin tests were performed six months later. Prick-tests with 10(-2) and 10(-1) aprotinin dilutions were negative but intradermal reaction with a 10(-3) dilution was clearly positive.